Rerailer.



G. G. HEADLEY.

RERAILER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9,1908.

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GRANT CLARENCE HEADLEY, OF-HASTINGS, COLORADO.

RERAILER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

Application filed June 9, 1908. Serial No. 237,490.

vented certain new and useful Improvements in lle'ailers, of which the following is specification.

This invention relates to rerailers, comprising, in a unitary structure which may be used on either the inside orthe outside of a rail, as the case may be,'means for guiding the wheel of a railway car or the like from its derailed position beside the rail into its normal position upon the rail; and this without at any time subjecting the flange of the wheel, which is its weakest part, to any stresses or strains ordinarily incident to the operation of rerailing.

In line with what as been stated above, it is the object of the invention to combine with the rerailer proper desirable features of construction which make it readily portable, easily attachable and detachable from a secured operative position adjacent a rail, without the use of extrinsic clamps or fastening device, and, which render the device as a whole less liable to be overturned when, as necessarily occurs in practice, the weight of a car or the like rests on the device at a point removed from the center of gravity thereof.

As stated the device is adapted to be employed upon either the inside or the outside of a. rail, with the same lateral face presented to the rail in either case, and the wheel may have its approach from either direction. The rerailer is so constructed that when in position for service, clearance is afforded to any members depending from a car or the like upon the rail, and so that a derailed wheel when forced against the device will ride up thereon instead of forcing the reailer ahead of it after the manner of a chock block, as frequently happens with similar devices at present in use.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be developed, the invention consists of the elements, combinations, and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and succinctly defined in the accompanying claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of the invention. Figure l is a perspective view, looking at the outer-or rear side of the device; Fig. 2 is a similar view, from a substantially opposite point of view; Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating the application of the device to a rail; Fig. & is a bottom plan view; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. ,3 showing the device applied to the inner side of a rail, a car wheel being shown in dotted lines in the positions where it has just reached the apex 9; Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line (S(5 of Fig. t, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the device in position upon the outer side of a rail, showing in dotted lines a car wheel at the apex of the device.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates in a general way the rerailer, which consists of an oblong, preferably substantially rectangular body of metal, which is in practice best made of cast steel. For reasons hereinafter appearing, the entire body is preferably somewhat bowed on each side from end'to end, the curvature of the rear or outside 2 being sharper than that of the front or inner side 3. By this construction the ends l joining the ends of the inner and outer sides will be longer than a line through the device intermediate said ends, thereby conducing to equilibrium in operation, as well as lending artistic merit to the combination of the body with the superstructure or rerailer proper. The frame thus constructed of side and end pieces, best shown in Fig. 4, is connected by means of braces 5, extending throughout the depth of the frame, and the intermediate one of said braces being out out as shown at 6, Fig. 6, to afford a hand hold, from which the device may be carried in a balanced condition. The superstructure referred to comprises a substantially plane top 7, from which at the rear or upper side of the device, rises a guide track 8, inclining upwardly from each end of the device toward an apex 9. The rear or outer vertical wall 10 of said track is substantially flush with the outer or rear side of the device, while the inner wall of said track is angled, comprising two walls 11 and 12, extending respectively from opposite ends of the device and meeting, in line with the apex aforementioned, at a point intermediate the ends of the device and adjacent the inner side or front of the re ailer. resides the upward inclination of the guide track 8 from the ends of the device toward the center thereof, it is preferred to give it. another inclination from the front or inner side of the device toward the rear or outer side thereof.

Fpon the plane top 4' at either end of the device and adjacent the ends of the guide track are provided guide flanges t0 and 11 respectively, the spaces between guide flange if I a wheel flange, and the space between flanges it) and 11, affording a similar guide-way. The flange 10 is preferably not so long as the flange ll, and they are so positioned relatively to one another and to the guide track 8, that a wheel flange entering either of the guide-ways provided as above stated, will deliver the tread of the wheel to the adjacent flange or guide track as the case may be. Said flanges are preferably inclined from the ends of the device inwardly and upwardly so that if a wheel flange enters the guide-way let with the tread thereof toward the flange 10, the tread will ride upon said flange 10. being gradually elevated, until it reaches the end of said flange, when the tread will be delivered to the adjacent guide track 8, whereby it is still further elevated, and finally delivered to the rail as hereinafter described. If the wheel flange in similar manner enters the guideway 12, the tread will, of course, ride up on the guide track 8. Supposing a wheel flange to enter the guide-way 14 with its tread toward the flange 10, the tread will ride up the flange 10 and upon reaching the end thereof will be del vered to the inner and longer flange 11, and thence to the rail,

It is to be understood that the spaces be tween the flanges l0 and 11 respectively, and the flanges 10 and the adjacent sides of the guide track 8 are provided with vertical walls, and are of sufficient depth to acconr modate a wheel flange and so that there will not. at any time be danger of weight being imposed upon the wheel flange.

The inner face of the device, which forms one wall of the substantially alined flanges 11., is cut away for some distance on either side of the end-to-end center of the device. so that when a wheel flange arrives approximately at the apex 9 of the track 8, its fur ther movement may be permitted either diiectly onto the adjacent rail as shown in Fig. 6, or over and onto the same as shown in Fig.

The under face of the frame is preferably provided with pyramidal or otherwise suitably shaped clenching lugs 16, positioned at intervals so as to engage with the railway ties or other surface upon which the device is placed. The outer side of the device, which is preferably shaped into a laterally extending flange 17, may also be provided with spike holes 18 through which the ordiand guide track 8 a'tfording a guide for nary spike may secure the outer side of the face to the ties of the road bed. For securing the inner or front face of the device in position, I prefer to form said front face with a cut-out portion 19 whereby the device may be moved up close to the rail, said face being then beveled downwardly, having its lower inner end cut away as at 19, centrally, to enable it to lie flat between the web of the rail and its holding spikes (Fig. 6).

In operation, if the wheel to be rerailed is upon the inner side of a rail, as in Fig. 5, the flange of the wheel enters either the guideway 12 or 14, the tread of the wheel being, of course, toward the outer or rear side of the device. Vhichever guide-way the flange enters, the tread of the wheel is eventually brought to bear upon the guide track 11. The tread in its further travel is elevated upon said track 11 until it reaches the apex 9, which is immediately adjacent the rail, as shown in Fig. 3. Further movement of the wheel forces it above the rail, the flange of the wheel, however, not contacting with the surface of the rail. The engagement of the flange with the vertical wall of the track 8 now tends to give the wheel a turn, and this, together with the descending incline, brings the wheel gradually and gently into position upon the rail as shown in Fig. 5, the inner tread-portion reaching the rail first, and the angling of the guide track 8 from the inner side to the outer side of the device gradually permit-ting the gradual lowering of the flange side of the wheel onto the rail, till the wheel occupies its normal position thereon, with the flange inwardly thereof. Where the device is used upon the outside of the rail, it is placed in identically the same position, except that it is not engaged with the spikes of the rail. The flange of the wheel enters either of the guide-Ways 12 or 14-, and eventually rides up the flange 11, I

which delivers it directly to the rail.

It is to be understood that the guide-track 8 shall extend inwardly of the device far enough and have its apex 9 high enough so that-the rail will be crossed by the wheel flange before the wheel begins to roll down i the opposite incline of the track-way 8. It is also to be understood that materials, relative sizes, and positions of parts, and other non-essential features of the invention are contemplated as being within the discretion face inclining from one end toward the other of said body, the front edge of the device being flattened for contact with a rail.

2. A. device of the character described, comprising a substantially oblong body slightly curved on its long edges, a guidetrack having a vertical wall angling and extending substantially from one sideto the other of said body, and having an upper surface inclining from one end toward the other and from one side toward the other, and said body having also a guide-flange adjacent said guide-track, said guide-track and said flange defining a guide way between them and being similarly angled, the front edge of the device being flattened for contact with a rail.

A device of the kind described, comprising a substantially oblong body slightly curved on its long edges, a guide-track having a vertical wall angling and extending substantially from one side at each end toward the center of said body, and having an upper surface inclining from each end upwardly toward the center and from one side toward the other of the body, the front edge of the device being flattened for contact with a rail.

4:. A device of the kind described, comprising a substantially oblong body slightly curved on its long edges, a guide-track having a vertical wall angling and extending substantially from one side at each end toward the center of said body, and having an upper surface inclining from each end upwardly toward the center and from one side toward the other of the body, and said body having also a guideflange adjacent said guide track, said guide-track and said flange defining a guide way between them and being similarly angled, the front edge of the device being flattened for contact with a rail.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GRANT CLARENCE HEADLEY.

lVitnesses HARRY W. RUoKnn, J. M. MASSEY. 

